Sing Hosanna! offers comedy 'Little Nell'
Sing Hosanna!'s summer dinner theater show will be “Little Nell” by John Nash.
The plot of the comedy revolves around Little Nell (Dale Riemer) and her parents Ma and Pa Wilkins (Stephanie Kobil and Ed Green) and their financial troubles and potential loss of their property.
Enter a villain, Charlton Bainbridge (Eric Snyder), and a hero Hector Skyscraper (Matt Ferree), a bit of romance and chivalry plus a bit of deceit and therein lies the tale of “Little Nell.”
“This dinner theater is about a troupe of actors putting on a play in the early 1900s, who are really not very good at what they do,” said Riemer of Jefferson Township.
“I am the aging, forgetful, overly dramatic actress playing Little Nell, the child of strange but loving parents,” added Riemer who has a long standing history with Sing Hosanna! productions. “I love the freedom of comedy, doing things completely out of character.”
Kobil, who plays Mother Wilkins, uses the dinner theater as a form of escape.
“I love being in these types of shows, especially when they are comedies. It is a fun way to escape from real world pressures,” she said, noting this is her eighth dinner theater production.
She said her character is somewhat overly dramatic in addition to being protective of Little Nell.
It turns out Mother Wilkins is cautious for good reason: A suitor named Charlton, played by Snyder of Butler Township, “is motivated only by money. He wants Little Nell to be his wife so that he can inherit the Wilkins' estate,” Snyder said.
“Charlton is clever but not always sincere,” he added.
Though Snyder is experienced on larger productions — he last appeared in the Sing Hosanna! production of “The King and I” — he has a soft place in his heart for the dinner theater venue, as this is his fourth one in a row.
“With a smaller cast, you become very close to the other actors. Rehearsals are a lot of fun. You spend more time on acting in a summer show. In a musical, you have to learn songs and dances too,” Snyder said.
Portraying the hero in the show, teenager Matt Ferree of Middlesex Township is sharpening his acting chops on dinner theater for the first time, having previously only participated in musicals. He comes fresh from playing the title role in the Sing Hosanna! spring show “Aladdin” and more recently from the Summer Dramatics production of “Annie.”
“My character is the heroic, poor, and honest suitor of Little Nell Wilkins. He must battle the evil Charlton Bainbridge for the hand of Little Nell,” Ferree said.
“This is the first actual play I have been in and I thought it would be good experience.”
The show also features Chuck Brown and Jayson Reppart.
“It will definitely be a fun event,” said director Ralph Christy Jr. “It's like Lucille Ball and the Three Stooges all rolled into one show.”
Proceeds go toward Sing Hosanna!'s operating expenses and upkeep and renovation of its production center on Airport Road in Penn Township.
There will also be a sale of seasonal decorations and artwork. The dinner will consist of carrot salad, “porcupine” balls, baked potato, broccoli and cheese, and apple cake.
Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 8.
<B>WHO: </B>Sing Hosanna!<B>WHAT: </B>Dinner theater featuring comedy “Little Nell”<B>WHEN: </B>Noon and 5 p.m. Aug. 13<B>WHERE: </B>South Butler Fire Hall, 98 Old Plank Road<B>TICKETS:</B> $20 for adults and $7 for children age 10 and younger, available only through Aug. 8, at May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St.<B>INFO: </B>724-287-8362
